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Pit stops in space to fuel future craft

IN A week when Boeing launched an experimental spacecraft designed to refuel an orbiting sister ship, it also announced plans for a multipurpose “space garage”.

The Orbital Express, launched on 8 March, is testing systems designed to refuel a partner craft autonomously. Taking the idea a step further, Boeing last week also filed a patent application for a space depot that can refuel satellites, and also provide fuel, oxygen and water to crewed spacecraft like NASA’s planned Crew Exploration Vehicle (US 2007/0051854). The depot would be big enough to provide a temporary “safe harbour” for astronauts whose craft becomes crippled, …